Some people find it reassuring to give a name to their difficulties to alleviate anxieties about there being something wrong with them, being different from others or to ensure that they are getting correct treatment. And some people do not want to be put in any category. Whatever your preferences are, your situation is unique to any other and will be approached in this way in the strictest confidentiality.
You are welcome to participate in the development of your treatment plan by giving honest feedback to your psychotherapist, adding or subtracting areas of development that you would like to include, or would like to avoid at this time. You may also choose to leave it to your psychotherapist to recommend an appropriate type of psychotherapy and allow your therapist to guide you through the therapy process so that you can fully focus on resolving your difficulties. There are no right or wrong ways to be in therapy. You will be encouraged to be yourself and accepted for who you are. The better your psychotherapist is able to get to know you, the more effective treatment will be.
It is important that you attend your sessions even if you feel you cannot actively participate in therapy. Your psychotherapist does not have expectations of how you should behave and encourages you to be true to your feelings. Despite the expectations of society to be active at all times, there is a time when being passive is as important and it can prove to be a turning point in your understanding of yourself. Your psychotherapist will notice your struggle and adopt a psychoanalytic approach that is characterised by a slower pace with containing function. You will soon be able to feel lifted and supported to continue on your self-discovery or improvement.
It is commonly believed that becoming unwell is detrimental to one’s wellbeing. In reality, it is often a sign that your Self is now ready to feel and face the problem that may have been always successfully hidden from yourself, denied, or temporarily resolved with the coping skills you have. Becoming unwell is often an opportunity for a life-changing resolution of something that has already been a problem for a long time.
As you open up about what you would like to be different in your life, your psychotherapist will be assessing your needs, the accuracy of your diagnosis if you have one (diagnosis can change over time), listening for anything that may have been missed by your previous mental health specialist if you had one, and most importantly propose the successful path that could be taken to get you where you want to be. Most often, individuals benefit from a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy and psychoanalytic psychotherapy when working on the issues related to oneself and the relationship therapy when working on issues of relatedness. If you need a fast way out of your problems, you may be offered to focus on cognitive behavioural therapy only.
It is recommended that you attend your sessions at least once a week and increase this number if you would like faster progress or you are becoming unwell. You are welcome to use the therapy room as you like – you may choose to sit in a chair, lay on the therapeutic couch, or sit on the floor. It is entirely up to you.